Help! Swollen lymph nodes advice needed

Hello. I have been a visitor to these pages a lot of the past 2 months but i thought I needed to post. 

almost 2 years ago I started to get anxiety symptoms, very generalised , just feeling ‘off’ these could present very mildly or escalate to panic attacks. dizziness etc. 

I quit drinking for 3 months as I thought this may help.. it didn’t. Although my anxiety is very generalised I think health anxiety has caused me to spiral into this, I have been scared of the doctor my whole life and had a through minor health issues such as asthma and chronic ideopathic urcataria, which are now both non symptomatic . 

In January I found two swollen lymph nodes in my neck, one lower down on the left quite small (less than a cm) and one on the right ( about 1.5cm longer and thinner) even though I was petrified I patiently waited 2-3 weeks then visited my new local GP. Told her I was very anxious (was mid panic attack when I was seen) and she had a feel. She said she could feel nothing. So I tried very hard to show her where the slightly bigger lump was. She eventually found it and said it was a muscle, I disagreed, she then said maybe a small swollen lymph node and she was not concerned at all 

may anxiety calmed and I went about my life for a few weeks until now.. they still havnt gone down. It’s been 7 weeks in total now nearly 8 I’m not sure if they have grown as sometimes I feel like they have but then the next day they feel back to how they were. 

My anxiety is ridiculous especially at work and I am in a constant loop of fight and flight. I had to leave today. I am convinced I have lymphoma. I’m scared for my children and my family. If I feel any slight itch I believe it’s an additional symptom. My neck has now been aching for about a week and I am not sure it’s from touching them so much or not.. I had one night that I woke up with a night sweat but again, this could have been panic. 

I am now absolutely petrified to go back to the doctor. 

please be kind :( 

Parents
  • You should definitely go to your doctor. If you have a gut feeling or anxiety about something you shouldn’t ignore it.

    I am in a similar boat with regards to lymph nodes. My left armpit seemed swollen for a couple of weeks, I thought it was muscle strain through exercise but it didn’t go away so I went to the doctors. My doctor was lovely and examined my armpit and breast and has given me an urgent breast cancer referral so I can have some tests done. 
    Not only am I petrified about this, but I’ve since felt two lumpy lymph nodes near my left collar bone and everything I read online about swollen lymph nodes in this particular area is bad news. 
    I keep having random moments where I break down in tears because I’m so scared of what the outcome will be. I’m only 36 with a 2 year old and 4 year old, I can’t bear the thought of not being around for them in the next few years. 

  • Thanks, my issue is I have had anxiety for so long now it’s hard to know what’s real and what’s not any more as my anxiety gives me so many strange sensations that I’m not sure what should even alarm me any more. 

    last time it took all of my courage to go and I was just palmsed off my the doctor really 

    and I am sorry to hear you are going through this I am 36 also, what were your initial symptoms ? 

  • Is there someone who can go with you to help you through this? And to stand up to the doctors if you are being fobbed off again? 
    The armpit swelling was my initial symptom. I have had night sweats in the past but put that down to being too wrapped up. I also had my 2 year old refuse my left breast after a couple of months when he was a baby and I’m now wondering if it’s all linked. I wish I’d brought it up then.

    i really hope you can muster up the courage to go back. Anxiety definitely confuses things but the only way to relieve that anxiety will be to have the appropriate tests and scans. Sending you love xx

Reply
  • Is there someone who can go with you to help you through this? And to stand up to the doctors if you are being fobbed off again? 
    The armpit swelling was my initial symptom. I have had night sweats in the past but put that down to being too wrapped up. I also had my 2 year old refuse my left breast after a couple of months when he was a baby and I’m now wondering if it’s all linked. I wish I’d brought it up then.

    i really hope you can muster up the courage to go back. Anxiety definitely confuses things but the only way to relieve that anxiety will be to have the appropriate tests and scans. Sending you love xx

Children